A Shadow's Will
by TOTW Fanfiction Edition
Summary: Vader's "perfect clone" of Starkiller is now on his own with no purpose or identity. Out to forge his own the Dark apprentice finds himself in the services of Jabba the Hutt. This seems to be the perfect opportunity to separate himself from his former master, his "Doppelganger" and the Civil War as a whole. But even different paths can run parallel. M just to give myself leeway.


_**DISCLAIMER: Own Star Wars I do not. reserved to the Walt Disney company and Lucasfilm all rights are. Property of Lucasarts the Force Unleashed is. **_

The Apprentice felt the rain drip across his face as he simply watched the battle unfold on the platform across from him. He had been given strict orders by his master to not interfere until one particular moment. That moment was to be when the "other clone" would try to strike his master down. He would then go for the kill and eliminate all rebel forces on the planet. the task in itself would be simple enough.

This was the kind the dark apprentice had been made for after all, the successor to the original Starkiller a perfect replica with all of his templets strengths and none of it's weaknesses. The Apprentice had succeeded where his other doppelgangers had failed. He had learned to compartmentalize the original Starkiller's memories. He had learned to separate himself from the memories of a dead man, he had learned to hate that which the original Starkiller loved...at least that's what he thought.

. The "other" had managed to strike at Vader's thigh cutting his balance from under him and forcing him on one knee. The Dark Lord's breathing had become slow and labored, something that no doubt was a result of both exhaustion and battle damage caused by the clone.

The Clone had let out a sneer as he raised his right hand upward preparing for a final strike. "you've taken everything from me.

Vader gave out a raspy mechanical sound that only vaguely resembled a chuckle. "Your memories of the woman are not real."

"They're real to me." the clone replied.

Vader raised his head slowly. For a few moments, he said nothing. "Then strike me down and fulfill your destiny."

That was the apprentice's cue removing his lightsaber from his belt he began to walk forward.

"Wait!" An elderly man in battle armor raced towards Starkiller grabbing him by the shoulder. It did not take long for the apprentice to note that this was in fact general Kota.

the clone recoiled in what almost seemed to be disgust. "You want him dead as much as I do."

"Yes," Kota affirmed "But not yet, not until he's told us the empire's secrets."

"You want to take him prisoner?" the clone asked almost in disbelief.

"To a hidden rebel base where we can interrogate him, but him on trial for the crimes against the true Republic. Then we can execute him and show the galaxy we don't need to fear him any longer."

The clone shook his head in agony. "If I let him live he'll haunt me forever."

"He's the only one who knows if Starkiller really survived. He can't tell you if he's dead."

The Clone turned back to Vader. His hand was still raised as he stood for what seemed like an eternity. the apprentice was growing impatient. What was keeping him from striking Vader now? Did he sense the apprentice merely a few yards from him? No, that could not be the case. Kota would have sensed it. The apprentice gritted his teeth in anticipation as he waited for the moment to strike. That moment never came. The clone proceeded sigh and deactivate his lightsaber. As he walked toward where Juno was laying, Kota barked out orders for his man to detain Vader.

The apprentice looked at his doppelganger in both shock and disgust. What was he doing? He had the perfect opportunity to strike at Vader and he rejected it so he could cradle the body of a dead woman? His master had been right. The clone did share every bit of the weakness of his templet...and yet.

Something within him stirred even if was just a thought or an idea. It was no secret to the apprentice that he was designed to be the ultimate weapon. His flesh and face was merely a vessel. He had no purpose beyond being Vader's extended blade. Yet five words would echo in his mind constantly. "I think, therefore I Am." the doppelganger had managed to do something that none of his brothers had managed to do. He did not let the memories of the original Starkiller consume him. Nor did he compartmentalize him as the apprentice had done. He had managed to embrace those feelings, those experience as his own. Essentially, he was Starkiller, body mind and soul. That was his identity. Now the apprentice had the word to describe what he was feeling. It was not disgust, but jealousy, jealousy of his doppelganger for having an identity. Whether it was something that was inherited or not, it was at least an identity.

Meanwhile the apprentice was left asking himself "Who am I?" The answer was a simple yet pitiful answer. He was nothing. He had no purpose or identity beyond being a tool of flesh that would be disposed of once his Master had no use for him. No agency or free will beyond being a loyal attack dog. The apprentice gritted his teeth in frustration and confusion. it took all he had to keep himself concealed while he was wrestling with his thought. All this time he had believed the clone to be the slave, a slave to the memories and emotions of a man long dead while he freed himself from such chains. As he thought about it more and more however, a question echoed in his mind. Was it perhaps the other way around?

The apprentice snapped out in horror as he saw what appeared to be his doppelganger and the woman embracing each other. So she was not dead after all. Vader had long been taken away. The apprentice had been so distracted he did not realize until too late that his opportunity to strike had long sense passed. He had failed at his one mission. He had failed at doing the one thing he existed for.

He wanted to scream, but doing so would only alert the rebels of his presence. He found himself hovering the blade end of the lightsaber towards his chest. All he had to do was press the button press of the button and he could end his agony here and now. As he was about to do so however. The voice of the woman echoed in his mind, not as a memory, but as a piece of advice.

"Your fate lies solely with you.'

The apprentice put down his blade. "No he would not die like this. He would not die a slave or a tool to be disposed of. He would make an identity for himself. Perhaps it would be something related to Starkiller, or perhaps not. Still one thing was for sure. He needed to get out of here.

As the rebel ships took off he proceeded to head toward one of the landing platforms there were a handful of tie still on the premises he could fly one of them off planet. Out of the corner of his eye he had seen a stormtrooper flee towards one of the sips. s the trooper neared the ship. The Apprentice slew him with one fatal stab to the chest. The apprentice then entered the tie fighter. The apprentice grunted a bit as he felt himself having to squeeze inside no wonder these things were considered death cans. He then looked at the coordinates on the navigation screen. It seemed the computer already had a destination locked on. He then looked at the name that flashed across the screen. It read _**TATOONIE**_


End file.
